In order to provide for high-throughput of work, or nearly continuous availability, distributed computing systems are often utilized. A distributed computing system typically includes two or more computing devices which frequently operate somewhat autonomously and communicate with each other over a network or other communication path.
A computing device of a distributed system that has the capability of sharing resources is often referred to as a cluster which has two or more nodes, each node having a processor or at least a processor resource, and typically, a separate operating system. One example of a distributed computing system utilizing one or more clusters is the IBM System Storage TS7650 ProtecTIER Deduplication Gateway which provides functions such as a virtual tape library which appears to applications as one automated tape library. The distributed computing system of the TS7650 also usually includes several controllers which communicate with the clusters over a network.
FIG. 1 shows an example of a distributed computing system 100 having cluster computing devices 102, 104, one or more single node computing devices 106 and a system or service console 110 which provides a central point of service for a distributed computing system having multiple computing devices such as ProtecTIER systems. The computing devices 102, 104, 106 and the service console 110 are typically linked together by a network 112 which may be a network internal to the distributed computing system, for example.
The service console may have an outbound connection 114 to connect to a support center 120. Such a connection 114 may be made, for example, over a broadband Ethernet connection that includes an intranet 115, a firewall 116 and the internet 118, for example. The service console may also have another connection 122 which may be a modem connection, for example, to the support center 120.
In a clustered configuration such as that found in the cluster 102, two processor nodes 124 are usually both active, (often referred to as “active—active” operation), to provide access to the same data set. A network 130 internal to the cluster may be used to provide communication between the two processor nodes of the cluster 102.
The distributed computing system 100 may further include a workstation 134 which is connected to each of the computing devices 102, 104, 106 over a network 136, such as a user network for example. A suitable manager program, such as ProtecTIER Manager, for example, may be run on the workstation 134 to provide configuration and monitoring access to each of the computing devices 102, 104, 106. In addition, one or more keyboard, video, and monitor (KVM) interfaces 140 may be provided for the processor nodes 124 of the computing devices 102, 104, 106 as well as the service console 110 to provide local access. The KVM interfaces 140 may be shared among one or more of the processor nodes 124 of the computing devices 102, 104, 106 and the service console 110 through a suitable KVM switch.
The service console 110 facilitates access by a remote support center 120 to the service console 110 as well as to the individual computing devices 102, 104, 106. Conversely, the service console 110 facilitates access by the computing devices 102, 104, 106 to provide error or other service notifications to the remote support center 120. For example if a processor node 124 of the cluster 102 encounters an error, it may generate an error notification (often referred to as a “call home request” or a “message offload request”) and send the call home request to the service console 110. The service console 110 in turn forwards the error notification and any associated error data (often referred to as a call home package) such as a core dump to a remote support center 120. In addition, service personnel at the support center 120 may log into the service console 110 to remotely access the computing devices 102, 104, 106 attached to a service console 110. In some installations, a service console such as the service console 110 may have software which provides a web browser and other graphical user interfaces to facilitate local or remote monitoring and management of the distributed computing system.
Some distributed computing systems lack a system or service console such as the service console 110. Accordingly, such distributed computing systems typically do not have a consolidated, centralized point of management for service or coordination among multiple processor nodes at a user site. In such distributed computing systems lacking a service console or the centralized point of management, each computing device of the distributed computing system may have its own separate internet or modem connection to connect to a support center.